The PACE Project cordially invites you to the next talk of the Metaphilosophical Talk Series by
Tim Button, University College London
Title: Artefacts of Representational Choices
Date: October 8th, 2024 (Tuesday)
Time: 16:45-18:15
Location: Room 3B, NIG, Universitätsstraße 7, 1010 Wien
Abstract:
Kant asked: how is metaphysics so much as possible? Quine answered: because metaphysics is broadly continuous with science. But Quine's answer gives us no reason to think that "joint-carving" metaphysics is possible. Joint-carvers want our theoretical primitives to keep track of what is metaphysically primitive (or fundamental, as opposed to derivative). But we have no reason to think that such a thing is possible. To explain why, I'll offer some general considerations, a particular case study (about space), and a logical argument. The upshot of all of these is that we always end up with (arbitrary) artefacts of representational choices.
